Smoke Break
by NinjaSmashley
Summary: She was never wrong with her hunches. This time, one of her feelings leads her to a side of Ken she has yet to realize.


This is just **something** I couldn't get off my mind until I wrote. So, here it is. You're welcome. (Just kidding)

It's 7 years after Malomyotismon peaced out. It brings in Tag Tamers, the wonderswan game, but in the most basic sense. If you have never heard of/played the game (or attempted to in my case), then you should at least check out the Digimon Wikia.

-

-

-

As soon as she joined the group, she could tell something was off. Kari couldn't pinpoint it, but the feeling never left. Her brother would always make fun of her for her _feelings_, but he was the one who was usually proved wrong and made to look like a fool. T.K. knew not to take these things lightly. The fact that he could tell when she was in a situation like this put more pressure on her to figure it out.

Matt's band was playing and he asked his friends to come. The door price went straight to them and the bar would be happy with some increased profits. It was the first time they were all free in a while, therefore it became one of the biggest get-togethers the DigiDestined have seen in years.

Sitting at the table with Ken, watching many of her friends dance or play darts, her mind ran in hopes of finding the source. She wouldn't be able to rest without it.

"Excuse me," Ken said to her, slipping out of the booth and heading towards the exit.

_It was him. _

Determined, Kari got up and pushed her way towards Ken. Being small, it proved to be a problem. She bumped into many drinks, making a lot of drunk guys irritated. However, soon she was outside, she forgot her battle to escape and began her search for the source of her concern.

A small curse from Ken brought her attention to him as hid his hand behind his back. "Hey."

"You smoke?" she asked, looking behind his back. She could see the smoke coming from behind him. He nervously smiled at her for a bit before it faded

"Maybe." Ken frowned as he tried to read her expression. "Yeah. Sorry," he said finally, relaxing a little.

"Don't let me stop you," she said, holding her hands up. "And don't apologize. Tai smokes."

Ken wasn't faking the shocked look that graced his face for a few seconds. Nervously looking around, Ken searched for a key talking point. He settled on something else. "Oh, uh, hey. Yeah. So. Matt's band." A small pouting face came forward when Ken realized his cigarette wasn't lit anymore. His attention span may have faded once he searched for his lighter.

"I think this was their best performance yet. Well, of the ones I've seen."

Feeling rude, Ken stopped fighting his lighter to respond. "I've never seen them play -- not formally, I mean." He then resumed fighting to find fire.

"Do you like their music?" Kari asked, trying to be polite.

Ken smiled as he shook his head a little. Slipping the lighter in the box, he held them out for her. She declined. "The music -- It's too needy in my opinion. Kinda stalker-y."

The light snicker from Kari told him it was not a mistake to say it out loud. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

Silence fell on the two as they stood outside. It was relatively colder outside and it was finally starting to catch up on Kari. Giving up on his cigarette, he flicked it into the alley. He celebrated a very, very small victory when it reached the puddle he was aiming for.

"So what's wrong?" Kari asked finally.

Ken looked mildly insulted when Kari asked that question, mostly because nothing was wrong at that moment. "Nothing. Why?"

"I know something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong," he said with a smile, trying to get Kari to follow him back inside. When she wouldn't budge, he stopped, slipping his hands into his pocket. "Seriously."

"I know. Seriously."

Ken sighed, trying to not roll his eyes in front of Kari. "It's nothing."

Kari smiled. She was right. Her personal triumph was quickly derailed when she caught sight of the dead look on Ken's face. All life seemed to wash from his demeanor at once. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He took his time thinking over it. "Do you know Ryo? Ryo Akiyama?"

Kari searched her mind briefly. "I've heard of his name. I don't remember where."

His cigarettes were a new fixation as he pulled another one out. It worried Kari that she couldn't see his eyes or any expression on his face as he tried to light up another cigarette. "He just died," he said with the cigarette in his mouth. Once the cigarette was lit and he took a long drag from his, he finally said. "Three days ago."

"Ken, I'm so sorry."

He stood there, completely frozen. After a while, he shook it off and fixed his attention on his cigarette. "I guess it just hasn't hit me, yet." He tried to read her, to see her reaction, to see where to take the conversation. Then he decided to ask, "Have you ever met him?"

She shook her head.

"He was a great person. So selfless," Ken smiled at the thought. "Him and my brother were best friends, they even included me sometimes." Snapping at of it, he lowly commented, "I thought Ryo was dead up until recently."

"Why?" Kari asked.

"That's what everyone told me to believe. His battle -- the one I couldn't help him in -- everyone thought it killed him." Once again, Ken was wrapped up in his thoughts. As people walked by, Ken shot them a small smile before he took a deep breath and offered a similar one to Kari. "You know when you would feel Yolei's heartbeat when Hawkmon and Gatomon D.N.A. Digivolved?"

A small nod came from Kari. "Yeah?"

"It was like that every day up until he died. I felt it. Like," Ken started, mulled over it for a second, and continued, "I felt him die." There was a visual battle that displayed on Ken's face as he thought over chain smoking. It was much easier changing his thought process to something less intense. "Everyone assumed he was dead, but I kept searching 'cause I felt it." Chain smoking won. "It wasn't long until my search warped into my dumb prancing around, enslaving Digimon

Kari held onto his wrist when he pulled another cigarrette out. "You don't blame yourself, do you? You know -- about Ryo?" The intensity in her eyes forced Ken into a new realization of the situation.

It wasn't until he smiled that Kari released her grip. "No, I don't." Almost forgetting what she stopped him from doing, he slipped the pack into his pocket and leaned against the wall. "Just some regrets." He attempted to sink this butt into the puddle, but he missed.

"What the hell guys!" Davis said, joining them outside. The peace and quiet returned as soon as the doors closed behind him. "It's fucking cold out here," he stated frankly. "Matt's gonna start another set, wanna come back into the warmth and watch?"

"Yeah," Ken said. "Give us a second." Kari didn't mean for her eyes to snap onto Ken as if him requesting more time was a surprise. It was, but the action did not call for it in her opinion.

Davis shook his head as he left them alone, mumbling as to how they were going to freeze their asses off.

Ken didn't mean to stare, but it became hard to snap out of it. Kari smiled, not because she was uncomfortable, but because it just felt like the right thing to do.

"Thanks for the talk," Ken said with enthusiasm. "Let me get you back inside before your brother murders me or something."

As they joined their friends and enjoyed the band's last set, Kari couldn't help but to ponder over how much Ken has changed since he joined their group. He sat there with a relaxed smile on his face and with his arm drooped over Yolei's shoulder, enjoying the company of friends he has kept for almost 7 years, now. It wasn't fake. It wasn't a front

It wasn't like she doubted the persona she knew him for. She was relieved to know that it was real.

His confidence was something to smile about.

-

-

-

So tell me what you thiiink .. =D


End file.
